Mandela Nelson - His day is done: a Nelson Mandela Tribute

This poem was writtenon behalf of the American peopleon the occasion of the death ofNelson Mandela on December 5, 2013, at the request of the U.S. Department of State. Copyright 2014 by Maya Angelou All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House, an imprint and division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company, New York. R ANDOM H OUSE and the H OUSE colophon are registered trademarks of Random House LLC. Photograph credits are located on .

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Angelou, Maya.
His day is done : a Nelson Mandela tribute / Maya Angelou.
pages cm
ISBN 978-0-8129-9701-9
eBook ISBN 978-0-8129-9702-6
1. Mandela, Nelson, 19182013Poetry. I. Title.
PS3551.N464H57 2014 811.54dc23 2013049202 www.atrandom.com Cover design: Anna Bauer v3.1

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. N ELSON M ANDELA His day is done, Is done. The news came on the wings of a wind Reluctant to carry its burden.

Nelson Mandelas day is done. The news, expected and still unwelcome, Reached us in the United States and suddenly Our world became somber. Our skies were leadened. His day is done. We see you, South African people, Standing speechless at the slamming Of that final door Through which no traveler returns. Our spirits reach out to you: Bantu, Zulu, Xhosa, Boer.

We think of you And your Son of Africa, Your Father, Your One More Wonder of the World. We send our souls to you As you reflect upon Your David armed with A mere stone facing down The Mighty Goliath. Your man of strength, Gideon, Emerging triumphant Although born into the brutal embrace of Apartheid, Scarred by the savage atmosphere of racism, Unjustly imprisoned In the bloody maws of South African dungeons. Would the man survive? Could the man survive? His answer strengthened men and women Around the world. In the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, On the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, In Chicagos Loop, In New Orleans Mardi Gras, In New York Citys Times Square, We watched as the hope of Africa sprang Through the prisons doors. His stupendous heart intact, His gargantuan will Hale and hearty.

He had not been crippled by brutes Nor was his passion for the rights Of human beings Diminished by twenty-seven years of imprisonment. Even here in America We felt the cool Refreshing breeze of freedom When Nelson Mandela took The seat of the presidency In his country Where formerly he was not even allowed to vote. We were enlarged by tears of pride As we saw Nelson Mandelas Former prison guards Invited, courteously, by him to watch From the front rows His inauguration. We saw him accept The worlds award in Norway With the grace and gratitude Of Solon in Ancient Grecian courts And the confidence of African Chiefs From ancient royal stools. No sun outlasts its sunset But will rise again And bring the dawn. Yes, Mandelas day is done, Yet we, his inheritors, Will open the gates wider For reconciliation.

And we will respond Generously to the cries Of the Blacks and Whites, Asians, Hispanics, The poor who live piteously On the floor of our planet. He has offered us understanding. We will not withhold forgiveness Even from those who do not ask. Nelson Mandelas day is done. We confess it in tearful voices Yet we lift our own to say: Thank You. Thank You, Our Gideon.

Thank You, Our David. Our great courageous man. We will not forget you. We will not dishonor you. We will remember and be glad That you lived among us That you taught us And That you loved us All! PHOTOGRAPH CREDITS AP P HOTO / T HEANA C ALITZ- B ILT M EDIA / G ALLO I MAGES / G ETTY I MAGES A PIC / G ETTY I MAGES K EYSTONE / G ETTY I MAGES M EDIA / G ALLO I MAGES / G ETTY I MAGES J RGEN S CHADEBERG / G ETTY I MAGES AP P HOTO / G REG E NGLISH H ELIFILMS / G ETTY I MAGES AP P HOTO / D AVID B RAUCHLI G RARD J ULIEN / G ETTY I MAGES J OE A LEXANDER / G ETTY I MAGES AP P HOTO / D ENIS F ARRELL AP P HOTO / D AVID B RAUCHLI D AVE H OGAN / G ETTY I MAGES M IKE H EWITT- FIFA / G ETTY I MAGES M EDIA / G ALLO I MAGES / G ETTY I MAGES T REVOR S AMSON / G ETTY I MAGES To all the worlds citizens, who lost a friendwhen President Nelson Mandela died BY MAYA ANGELOU AUTOBIOGRAPHIES